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PIA News Service - Monday, March 19, 2012

Search for model PNP families is on

By David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, March 19 (PIA) -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued memorandum circular to all DILG regional, provincial and city directors including the municipal local government operations officers and the ARMM DILG Secretary regarding the revised rules and regulations and implementing guidelines governing the search for the model Philippine National Police (PNP) families for the year 2012, signaling the start of the competition.

The National Crime Prevention Week (NCPW) Technical Working Group launched the first search for the model PNP families in 2010, which would support the PNP integrated transformation program in bringing forth transformational leaders within the organization by adhering to its mission of achieving a highly capable, effective, and credible police service working in partnership with responsive community towards the attainment of safer place to live, work and do business.

According to the new guidelines set by the DILG, all the chairpersons of the search committee from the provincial and regional will be coming from a non-government organizations while the national search committee whose membership will be composed of DILG, National Police Commission, PNP, and the head of the NCPW secretariat from the government sector, and by invitation, members from the private sector will be composed of the academe, business, legal community, family, religious and youth sector, will select from among themselves the chairperson and the co-chairperson.

The search is open to all uniformed PNP personnel in the national, regional, provincial, city and municipal levels who are qualified to be nominated in the two categories where they belong, namely the family category and the solo police parent category. Those who were nominated in the previous year but were not declared winners in the national level may still be nominated national champions, first, and second runners-up winners of the previous year are no longer eligible for nomination in the succeeding searches.

Since January this year, the DILG has been open for the submission and acceptance of nominations and applications with supporting documents. This month, the provincial search committee is conducting screening and evaluation while the regional search committee is set on April. The National Search Committee (NSC) has scheduled the month of May as the contestability period for those will have complaints, while the submission of the list of the regional finalists to the NSC will be on the end of May. On-site validation and visitation is set on the months of June and July and the awarding will be in time with the celebration of the Crime Prevention Week on September. Winners will receive plaque of recognition and cash incentives. (RER/DMS-PIA Agusan del Sur)

.Surigao City joins Earth Hour 2012

By Annette P. Villaces

SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) -- The City Government of Surigao will once again join the global community for the launching of Earth Hour on March 31, 2012.

City Mayor Ernesto Matugas is encouraging all Surigaonons to switch off or dim their non-essential lights, signages and key monuments, landmarks and building signages from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.

This year’s celebration carries the theme, “Uniting People to Protect Planet”.

Matugas is also urging business establishments to hang streamers/posters/tarpaulin as an expression of their support for earth hour and display the same in highly visible locations and document their own earth hour event to showcase endeavors to celebrate earth hour 2012 around the country.

Earth Hour is an activity worldwide by World Wide Fun for Nature or WWF which is the world’s largest and most experienced conservation organization, operating in over 100 countries through the support of over 5 million people worldwide.

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 19 (PIA) -- The Butuan-Agusan del Norte Football Association (BANFA) team forced Bukidnon Football Association (BUFA) into a draw in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) U23 National Suzuki Cup Qualifying Round match last March 18 at Caraga State University (CSU) – Cabadbaran Campus Football field in Cabadbaran City.

Drawing first blood was Tyrone Opiso of BUFA who escaped with a goal in the 23rd minute of the match. However, not to be downhearted and drawing inspiration from the local home town crowd BANFA countered with a penalty goal courtesy of Abed Vavarez in the second half. With the momentum on the side of BANFA, Vavarez again chalked-up another goal that left BANFA leading at 2-1 way past the middle of the second half. Sensing defeat, Juarlito Dagaang of BUFA countered another goal that sealed the match at 2-2.

BANFA President and Butuan City Vice Mayor Lawrence Fortun was on hand to give our local booters the needed support together with Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr.

BANFA is set to meet again with BUFA this time at the Malaybalay Football Field in Malaybalay, Bukidnon on March 31, 2012. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga/BC-VMO)

.DTI Caraga hosts BETP’s "Doing Business in Free Trade Areas"

By Ramil J. Leongas

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 19 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Bureau of Export Trade Promotion widens its nationwide information campaign dubbed “Doing Business In Free Trade Areas” (DBFTA) to encourage Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (MSMEs) to trade with countries where the Philippines has already inked a Free Trade Agreement.

The Caraga leg of the caravan held on March 13 at Dottie’s Place, JC Aquino Ave., Butuan City was attended by more than 100 MSMEs from all over the region. In her message, which was delivered by PD Rene L. Negapatan of DTI Surigao del Norte Provincial Office, OIC-Regional Director Lolita I. Dorado told Caraga MSME’s --- “do not limit your market within your respective regions; the world is yours for the taking --- Let's do business in Free Trade Areas”.

In his keynote address, Mr. Jason T. Lao, Director III of the Product Research and Strategy Group directed the participants to the salient points of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2011-2013…”The global export environment is evolving opportunities for the Philippines (PHL) to grow exports of merchandise and services by forty percent (+40) in the next three years (2011-2013) and double the prior-period average in 2016. By 2016, total Philippine exports will exceed one hundred twenty billion US dollars (US$ 120B). This is achieved by building on the current business for the period 2011-2013 and developing Key Export Sectors that have high potential for growth. In the subsequent three years (2014-2016), growth is attained by implementing an agro-industrial resource-base export development program.”

To achieve the goals set by the PEDP 2011-2013, BETP shall focus on the core market strategies i.e., 1) Maximize benefits of Free Trade Agreements, 2) Target high-growth emerging markets, and 3) Attract the migration of supply chain nodes to the Philippines. As such, the nationwide information campaign on DBFTA that started last year was brought to Caraga. For 2012, Caraga’s export target is pegged at US$35M, tall order as it is, but DTI Caraga is very optimistic to achieve this target.

After a thorough discussion on the overview of the DBFTA as well as the PEDP 2011-2012, as series of lectures were delivered by the different discussants with their corresponding topics as follows: ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) by Ms. Ester Rosario, STIDS, ASEAN Division, BETP; ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Agreement (AANZFTA) by Ms. Rafaelita Castro, Assistant Division Chief, Japan/Austrasia Division, BETP; Japan Free Trade Agreement (AJFTA) by Ms. Norma O. Quilantang, Chief, Japan/Australia Division, BETP; ASEAN-Korea and ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreements (AKFTA/ACFTA) by Ms. Carlota Claveron, BIS; ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) by Ms. Ester Rosario, STIDS, ASEAN Division; and Getting the Certificate of Origin For your Product by Ms. Rosario Acosta of the Bureau of Customs.

The DBFTA nationwide campaign will not be possible without the participation of the local Chamber of Commerce & Industry. In his message, Mr. Jospeh Omar O. Andaya, President of Butuan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (BCCIFI) expressed optimism on the benefits DBFTA will bring to the country’s economy, however, he also threw caution in the air considering the possible threats DBFTA might cause the country’s prime exports such as sugar, coconut oil, and other agricultural products.

To give the participants a deeper understanding of the different Free Trade Agreements, Tariff Line, and Certificate of Origin discussed by different personalities from BETP, Philippine Trade Training Center, Bureau of Customs, and Tariff Commission of NEDA, an open forum then ensued with Ms. Arcily Cabanilla-Gonzaga, STIDS-DTI Caraga at the helm as moderator. One of the issues raised was how can the Philippines be the next Singapore. Mr. Jason Lao responded with conviction that Singapore and Philippines have different business models---while Philippines is abundant in natural resources, Singapore definitely knows what it doesn’t have and built it strength on it. It works its way to become the best logistic provider (for flow of goods) and as a contracting bridge for other ASEAN countries, something that the Philippines can work on.

Finally, a breakaway session for the Fresh/Processed Food and the Homestyle/Gifts, Decors and Housewares sectors was carried out for a more detailed and in-depth discussion on issues and concerns of producers from the respective sectors. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga/DTI-Caraga)

.45 injured, 28 damaged houses by 5.9 magnitude quake - Caraga DRRMC

By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 19 (PIA) -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) of Caraga reported that at least 45 persons were injured and 28 houses are damaged from the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that hit the provinces of Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte Friday afternoon, March 16.

According to RDRRMC’s report out of 45 injured, two persons are currently admitted at the Miranda Family Hospital, two at the Surigao Medical Hospital, one at the Caraga Regional Hospital and 40 persons were outpatients.

Around 24 houses were totally damaged in Brgy. Roxas, and four houses partially damaged in Brgy. Imee, Basilisa in Dinagat Islands. Initial damaged assessment to infrastructure amounted to P828,440 in San Jose, Dinagat Islands.

Damaged infrastructures include partially damaged multi-purpose staged and wharf in Basilisa, minor cracked municipal and sangguniang building in Cagdianao and minor cracked gymnasium and elementary school in Libjo.

The quake was centered two kilometers (1.2 miles) off Dinagat Islands near which was tectonic in origin and with a depth of 16km.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga has already coordinated and instructed the local DRRMCs to continuously monitor the situations in the area.

As of this posting, no aftershocks and casualties have been reported. (RER/SDR-PIA13 Surigao del Norte)